Following a 3-month summer internship at Make-A-Wish Hawaii, Grace Boehm recently joined the Alaska & Washington Chapter as a Wish Coordinator. We asked Grace to share her internship story with us. Here’s what she said.
How long were you a development intern at Make-A-Wish Hawaii?
About 3 months, from May 15, 2021 to August 8, 2021.
How did you hear about our internships?
I heard about Make-A-Wish's internship program through word of mouth—while working at Disney, a coworker suggested I look for opportunities with the organization and apply to their internship program.
What was your favorite part about the role?
There were so many amazing parts to the role! I would say that, other than the amazing coworkers, my favorite part about my internship was just how many new experiences I was presented with. I had just graduated with no idea of what I wanted to do, so being able to spend time trying a variety of different things in a welcoming environment was super useful in deciding where to go next with my career. I was able to work on events, grants, donor relations, graphic design, communications, database management, and more during my time as an intern—it gave me a diverse and unique skill set that I was able to easily leverage in my job search post-internship.
How did your internship lead to a job at the Alaska & Washington chapter?
I think the skills I gained here, along with my prior experience with Make-A-Wish's mission and organization, empowered me and made my application stand out. It evened out my work experience on paper and gave me new proficiencies I could easily put into practice and show in an interview.
Where do you currently live?
I currently live in Seattle, Washington! (More specifically Queen Anne).
What initially drew you to the Make-A–Wish Hawaii internship program?
When I first applied to the internship pre-COVID, I was attracted to the idea of an internship that allowed me to gain skills and insight into a potential career path while also serving the community. I had attempted working in a few different environments and was drawn to the non-profit path as a way to balance my interests, skills, and desire for a fulfilling career. When the internship was pushed back a year, I ended up feeling most compelled by the chance to adventure somewhere new and gain insight into what I might want to do post-grad. It was a great way to transition from student-work life into adult-work life.
What did you study at school (and where) and did your internship at Make-A-Wish Hawaii align well with your degree program?
I studied Economics and Business Administration at the University of Florida. This combination is slightly unusual for Make-A-Wish employees (as far as I've experienced, at least), but I think my studies ended up aligning with my current career path in an unconventional way. My studies ended up matching my work by extensively preparing me in professional communication, computer programs, analytical and creative thinking, and a deep understanding of the socio-economic conditions that many of our wish families find themselves in. It has also given me a broad base of understanding for both corporate and non-profit operational processes, which gives me a unique perspective on donor relations, management and financial/organizational tasks.
What skills did you take away from your internship at Make-A-Wish Hawaii?
Too many to count! I learned email marketing best practices, database management, grants management, events coordination, graphic design, donor stewardship and solicitation, workplace communication, and more. The fantastic thing about the Hawaii branch specifically is how incredibly tight-knit and organized the different departments are—you are constantly working with a variety of people on a variety of tasks, which gives you plenty of opportunities to try new things and gain skills you may have otherwise never been exposed to. I loved taking advantage of the dynamic and close relationship my department had with program and communications to get exposed to different projects.
What would you say to anyone considering an internship with Make-A-Wish (at any chapter)?
If you're a student who wants to be engaged, challenged, and fulfilled through the work you do, and maybe aren't quite sure of your career path yet, the Make-A-Wish internship program is exactly what you're looking for. The skills you gain here and the work you do can be applied to almost any industry, and the interns are frequently presented with opportunities for autonomous, meaningful work. And the best part is, there are chapters everywhere! So, you can use your time as an intern to travel or stay close to home while remaining with the organization.